In the late 1800's, several cattlemen might combine herds for a cattle drive from Texas to Kansas. The owners needed a way to differentiate between the animals once they arrived at market. So the longhorns had to be branded. Imagine being on a running horse and roping a cow, and then wresting it to the ground so you can stick a hot iron against it. Now imagine the cow has horns which can stretch 6 feet from tip to tip and wants nothing to do with you. Cowboys were as resilient as the Texas longhorns.

Note: These photos don't do justice to the intimidating stare and size of the cattle.